Come early March, Spring may be teasing us with glimpses of sunshine and blossom but the days (and nights) are still deceptively cold, misty and more than a little wintery - we’re still craving rich, hearty comfort food and warming drinks to match.

This ginny red wine punch is the perfect answer and straddles the two seasons marvellously: fruity, zingy and refreshing enough to hint at sun-filled days of sangria and gin cocktails in the garden to come, but richly dark enough to sip on while we hunker down on the sofa until it’s time to get outside.

Similarly, this is a bold, rich punch whose flavours stand up to powerful foods like truffle, grilled red meats and hearty winter stews, so whether you’re gunning for an ambitious, early-spring barbecue or are looking for something to pair with a slow-cooked casserole, this lovely tipple works a treat.

A small note of warning: don’t be tempted to use a super-cheap wine in the hope that the other flavours in this punch will mask it - they won’t! So although you might not want to use your best Barolo, you’ll definitely get a more delicious result by using a good-quality table wine. We recommend using a fruity, full-bodied red, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon. Cheers!

- Discover Craft Gin Club

Gin & Red Wine Punch

25ml gin
15ml Maraschino cherry liqueur
75ml grapefruit juice
50ml red wine
Grapefruit wedge and maraschino cherry, to garnish (optional)

Fill a wine glass with ice. Add all of your ingredients, garnish and serve.

This cocktail recipe was first created by Craft Gin Club’s mixologist for publication in the February 2021 edition of GINNED! magazine, where we paired it with a fantastic Australian Truffle Burger recipe. You can purchase a copy of the magazine to see the full feature and dozens more cocktail recipes, on our online shop.